RARE: Rust Never Sleeps Chalk Talk

Rust Never Sleeps Chalk Talk McNichols Sports Arena, Denver, Colorado1978-10-19 Photo by Joel Bernstein via NYA (Click photo to enlarge) 

Here is a rare photo from Neil Young w/ Crazy Horse's Rust Never Sleeps tour at McNichols Sports Arena, Denver, Colorado on 1978-10-19. (Thanks QueenCityJamz !)

If you look really closely, the "Chalk Talk" image has the immortal phrases "Better to RUST than to be David Briggs"! and "Better to burn out than be Larry Johnson!!"

So might that be L.A. on right in old man costume with David Briggs on left???

More on  David Briggs and Larry "L.A." Johnson.

Also, answers to the quintessential question: "Why does Rust Never Sleep?"

Rust Never Sleep! (sic)

Unreleased Rust-oleum Commercial w/ Neil Young

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The Essentials: "Sleeps With Angels" by Neil Young & Crazy Horse | Old Grey Cat

 Sleeps With AngelsNeil Young & Crazy Horse

Here's a look back at a very essential album by Neil Young & Crazy Horse: Sleeps With Angels (1994).

In particular, this review looks at the album as recorded chronologically -- as opposed to the actual album sequencing -- and makes some very interesting observations.

Over on Old Grey Cat, a re-review from  "The Essentials":

An album’s sequencing is an important factor – it’s somewhat akin to putting together a puzzle without a picture to work from. 

If the songs had been laid out in the order they were recorded, well, it would have been a great album. But by sequencing it the way that they did, Neil and Briggs upped it to a greater realm. I should add, I suppose, that Neil did little to promote the album after its release – no interviews or tours. Instead, he let the music speak for itself. One result, I think, is that it’s become somewhat overlooked in the pantheon that is his oeuvre. To those who’ve never heard it, I say play it today; and for the initiated, give it another listen. It’s a powerful piece. 

As I said way back when, it ranks with his best ever.

Full review of "The Essentials: Sleeps With Angels by Neil Young & Crazy Horse" | Old Grey Cat.  

Here is the 14+ minute track "Change Your Mind" (see Lyric Analysis).

 

'Sleeps With Angels" Film - Directed by LA Johnson| Neil Young Archives

 (see details @ NEW SCREEN ADDED: 'Sleeps With Angels" Film Now Playing on #3 | Neil Young Archives)

 

Also, see Sleeps With Angels: Neil Young, Crazy Horse -  Neil Young Album Reviews: Sleeps With Angels + Preview Tracks)

all of which is "too late, too soon" ...

He Sleeps With Angels

Kurt Cobain and Neil Young

 

Neil Young and Producer David Briggs, 1995
Photo by Pegi Young

(See David Briggs and Neil Young: "How Survivals, Grief and Legacies Unfold in American Music")

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Tribute to Larry "LA" Johnson | Lincvolt EP 5 | Neil Young Archives

Tribute to Larry "LA" Johnson | Lincvolt EP 5 | Neil Young Archives

A nice tribute to Larry "LA" Johnson at the conclusion of Lincvolt Episode #5 on  Neil Young Archives.

"L.A." passed away in 2010 leaving a huge void in the Shakey Pictures team while creating a lasting legacy to Neil Young fans with his definitive film director work on Rust Never Sleeps, amongst many other works over the past 40 years. (Also, see Larry "L.A." Johnson: 1947 - 2010 which has many warm, fond memories of L.A. in the comments section.)

 

Larry "LA" Johnson  & Will Mitchell

To say that the loss of L.A. was a terrible blow to Shakey Pictures and the Neil Young community is a vast understatement. "L.A."'s contributions to the Neil Young canon are immeasurable and are missed tremendously.

Neil Young said in a statement in 2010:

"He never lost the eye and ear of an original artist, one unafraid to listen to himself first. Even more, he also kept his playful spirit and sense of humor, the things that sparked his heart for a lifetime spent doing what he loved best: listening to music and making movies."

Johnson was one of the original East Coast guerrilla documentary filmmakers in the 1960's. He worked on the legendary "Woodstock" film of the 1969 festival and was nominated for an Academy Award in the sound category.

Larry "L.A." Johnson: 1947 - 2010(see memories of Larry "L.A." Johnson)

It was at Woodstock where L.A. and Neil Young first met. Johnson went on to film CSNY at the Fillmore East in 1970 and produce Neil Young’s film Journey Through the Past.

L.A. Johnson and Elliot Roberts
SXSW Panel, Austin, Texas - 2009(note Neil Young Archives Vol. #1 on table, right)

Johnson also filmed Young’s concert film, Rust Never Sleeps, and was also producer of Young’s feature film Human Highway. He directed Young’s 1986 Cow Palace concert "Live From a Rusted-Out Garage" for Pay Per View -- arguably the "single greatest video document of Neil Young and Crazy Horse."

 

Larry "L.A." Johnson and Neil Young
On the Set of Greendale film (2003)(see The Making of "Greendale")

Also, see Larry "L.A." Johnson: 1947 - 2010 which has many warm, fond memories of L.A. in the comments section.

Also, see:

• Larry "L.A." Johnson: 1947 - 2010 
• Tribute to Larry "L.A." Johnson in Rolling Stone Magazine 
• Neil Young News: The Warm & Loving Memories of Bridge 2010 - Video Tribute to L.A. Johnson
  
• Larry "L.A." Johnson: Hard To Forget
• Big -- Yet Sad -- Neil Young Day: "Hope For Haiti", Final Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien and "Long May You Run" for L.A.

Neil Young's Tribute to L.A. - "Long May You Run"
Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien(see Big -- Yet Sad -- Neil Young Day: "Hope For Haiti", Final Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien and "Long May You Run" for L.A.)
Screen Grab by Patricia 

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Comment of the Moment: 'Sleeps With Angels" Film Now Playing on #3 | Neil Young Archives

"Sleeps With Angels" Documentary Film by Larry "L.A." Johnson
via Subscriber News | NYA

Much, much excitement in the Rust community over the latest NYA Subscriber News and the premiere of a work in progress documentary of the making of the album Sleeps With Angels by Neil Young & Crazy Horse.

Primarily, the enthusiasm centers around watching the late David Briggs -- Neil Young's long time associate and Producer -- collaborate in the studio. Our Comment of the Moment in on the post 'Sleeps With Angels" Film Now Playing on #3 | Neil Young Archives by David R.:

Nice to see.

Pity all the music seems to be the same as the final studio versions. Great to see Neil with short hair and at one point even no sideburns. Cool to see him on the flute and playing distorted harmonica. Made me wonder if the characters in Trans Am are the start of the sort of thinking that led to Greendale.

I loved this record at the time and listening back I am still astonished by how good it is. Personally I think it might be Neil's best. I never thought about how different the sound is to Ragged Glory though it is true it is on a different planet. There is something of David Lynch to it, it would work as a soundtrack to one of his films, and I recall alongside grunge that was a major cinematic line art followed in the early 90s. Listening again I can feel Neil really tapping into that here and it is notable and logical that he then followed it with Dead Man.

I know a lot has been said about how Neil might have lost part of his muse when he lost Briggs, though sadly that is also clear listening again. Ever since Neil I feel has relied too much and too often on the just plug in and play approach that was first tested ironically here with Piece of Crap. Sleeps with Angels is very much so a studio record and feels and sounds like the product of one of those long experimental spells in the studio that started with The Beatles in the 60s and maybe ended with Radiohead at the millennium. The timing for Neil was perfect too, it was late enough after the 80s to not go over the top with studio sounds, drum machines, synths etc, and still early enough to have the enormous music industry support that allowed bands to really indulge themselves making a record.

I guess that is it, Neil has always blown with the wind of his own muse, though back then there was also an entire industry and experienced team that in this prime of his life blew behind him too.

Much thanks for sharing your thoughts here David!

The late David Briggs was Neil Young's producer on several key albums including Tonight's The Night, Zuma and Ragged Glory. Briggs' influence on the recording process has been lauded as a major contributing factor to Neil Young's recording success bringing a unique "discipline" to the process.

Neil Young and Producer David Briggs, 1995
Photo by Pegi Young

"How Survivals, Grief and Legacies Unfold in American Music"
by Caryn Rose @ 2019 Pop Conference at MoPop - Seattle

See David Briggs and Neil Young: "How Survivals, Grief and Legacies Unfold in American Music".

Also, see:

• Friends of Neil: David Briggs
• Comment of the Moment: Producer David Briggs and Neil Young
• David Briggs in Memorium
• David Briggs Obituary - NY Times, 12/3/95
• Interview with Elliot Roberts on working with David Briggs

"Sleeps With Angels" Film Now Playing on #3 | Neil Young Archives
See https://t.co/YQSQlIC61M
☮️♥️@NeilYoungNYA @CrazyHorse4HOF @Nirvana pic.twitter.com/TtHLaVmQz3

— ThrashersWheat (@ThrashersWheat) July 11, 2020

not!

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NEW SCREEN ADDED: 'Sleeps With Angels" Film Now Playing on #3 | Neil Young Archives

Sleeps With Angels - Directed by LA Johnson
via Subscriber News | NYA

That Neil. He just keeps giving and giving.

Yet another theater has been added to Neil Young Archives -- bringing the total to 3 screens -- a virtual multi-plex, if you will. The latest development on Subscriber News | NYA is the film Sleeps With Angels, directed by LA Johnson and running about 31 minutes.

Neil writes:

This is a document of that album I want to share with NYA Subscribers to show my thanks for all your support. More Subscriber Features will be coming soon.

Enjoy!

The documentary film is a work progress left uncompleted by the sudden death of LA Johnson in 2010.

Sleeps With Angels

Directed by LA Johnson

On The New Subscriber Features Screen in the Hearse Theater

This is a document of that album I want to share with NYA Subscribers to show my thanks for all your support. More Subscriber Features will be coming soon.

Enjoy! pic.twitter.com/O0uNWZcvUY

— Neil Young Archives (@NeilYoungNYA) July 10, 2020

Larry "L.A." Johnson: 1947 - 2010

Neil Young and Producer David Briggs, 1995
Photo by Pegi Young
(Click photo to enlarge)(See David Briggs and Neil Young: "How Survivals, Grief and Legacies Unfold in American Music")

Sleeps With Angels: Neil Young, Crazy Horse
(See Neil Young Album Reviews:
Sleeps With Angels + Preview Tracks)
all of which is "too late, too soon" ...

He Sleeps With Angels

Kurt Cobain and Neil Young

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Larry "L.A." Johnson: Hard To Forget

Larry "L.A." Johnson: 1947 - 2010

 

Today marks the 2 year anniversary since Neil Young's long time film maker and producer Larry "L.A." Johnson passed away. He was 62.

To say that it was a terrible blow to Shakey Pictures and the Neil Young community is a vast understatement. "L.A."'s contributions to the Neil canon are immeasurable and he is still missed tremendously.

Neil Young said in a statement:

"He never lost the eye and ear of an original artist, one unafraid to listen to himself first. Even more, he also kept his playful spirit and sense of humor, the things that sparked his heart for a lifetime spent doing what he loved best: listening to music and making movies."

Johnson was one of the original East Coast guerrilla documentary filmmakers in the 1960's. He worked on the legendary "Woodstock" film of the 1969 festival and was nominated for an Academy Award in the sound category.

It was at Woodstock where L.A. and Neil Young first met. Johnson went on to film CSNY at the Fillmore East in 1970 and produce Neil Young’s first film Journey Through the Past. 

From Youngtown Museum, a tribute to L.A. by Trevor Hosier:

Some guys are just hard to forget. I don’t know about you, but occasionally Ive found life allows for the rare opportunity of crossing paths with some very interesting people… some may have special skills or talents, some funny perhaps, some just have a personal quality about them that…well,…you just like them right from the start. Larry Johnson was one of those people. I only met him a few times over the course of several days but Ive been thinking about him as days draw closer to the second anniversary of his passing… January 21st., 2010.

More of Youngtown Museum's tribute to L.A. here.  

 

Larry "L.A." Johnson and Neil Young

 

Also, see Larry "L.A." Johnson: 1947 - 2010.

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Larry "L.A." Johnson: 1947 - 2010

Larry "L.A." Johnson: 1947 - 2010

It is with great sadness that we report that Neil Young's long time film maker and producer Larry "L.A." Johnson passed away yesterday. He was 62.

To say that this is a terrible blow to Shakey Pictures and the Neil Young community is a vast understatement. "L.A."'s contributions to the Neil canon are immeasurable and will be missed tremendously.

Neil Young said in a statement:

"He never lost the eye and ear of an original artist, one unafraid to listen to himself first. Even more, he also kept his playful spirit and sense of humor, the things that sparked his heart for a lifetime spent doing what he loved best: listening to music and making movies."

Johnson was one of the original East Coast guerrilla documentary filmmakers in the 1960's. He worked on the legendary "Woodstock" film of the 1969 festival and was nominated for an Academy Award in the sound category.

It was at Woodstock where L.A. and Neil Young first met. Johnson went on to film CSNY at the Fillmore East in 1970 and produce Neil Young’s film Journey Through the Past.

Johnson also filmed Young’s concert film, Rust Never Sleeps, and was also producer of Young’s feature film Human Highway. He directed Young’s 1986 Cow Palace concert "Live From a Rusted-Out Garage" for Pay Per View -- arguably the "single greatest video document of Neil Young and Crazy Horse."

From Wikipedia:

As head of Young’s film production company, Shakey Pictures, Johnson has produced Young’s concert videos, Weld, Year of the Horse, Neil Young: Silver and Gold, and Neil Young: Red Rocks Live, directing the latter two as well. Johnson continued working with Young on his many projects including the long-awaited Archives Volume One and was co-producer of Young’s ambitious concept album Greendale (2003).

Johnson also co-produced Young’s 2006 protest album, Living with War and served as in-house video director on many of Young’s tours, including the CSNY "Freedom of Speech" tour, which drew heavily from Young's anti-war album. He produced the albums' music videos and co-produced the film CSNY/Déjà Vu.

Johnson continued to work with Young on his latest film project, a documentary about converting older gas-guzzling automobiles into fuel-efficient, low emission, environment-friendly vehicles titled, "Linc-Volt." Johnson was heavily involved in the both the video and physical production of the two decade gestation of Young's "Archives," and was credited as the producer of Volume 1, released in June, 2008.

From official Neil Young Times website:

"Meeting Neil Young at Woodstock would begin a four-decades long partnership that continued right up to the present, with the release of the Grammy Award-nominated 'Neil Young Archives: Volume I' Blu-Ray box set, which has been described as a groundbreaking work combining all the various mediums of music, film and print in a way that has never been done. Mr. Johnson was instrumental in creating this revolutionary new Blu-Ray Media platform, which may very well be recognized as the enduring standard to experience music and other historical events in the digital age."

Larry "L.A." Johnson and Trevor “T.R.” Hosier with Linc-Volt
Photo courtesy of Youngtown Rock Museum

From Trevor “T.R.” Hosier with Youngtown Rock Museum:

Just got off the phone with Will Mitchell...Larry's partner. We are in shock. One didn't have to know L.A. Johnson for long to determine he was a great talent and a great guy. Modest, bright, and witty, he made a big impression. My wife Brenda and I took great satisfaction in knowing we would stay in touch with Larry...he referred to us as "his friends from Canada".

Apparently he died while preparing to go to a hockey game, his great passion in recent years. A huge loss to Neil and friends, love and best wishes go out to all who grieve his passing.

Although gone, its clear this great man will not be forgotten.

Trevor Hosier
Youngtown Museum

From Neil Young News: Larry Johnson & Elliot Roberts Interview on Greendale:

Question: I've never seen anything like Greendale before.

Larry Johnson: Well, here at Shakey Pictures [Neil Young's production company] we pride ourselves on things like that. (laughs)

Question: It's been quite a while since Neil Young's last directorial effort [1982's Human Highway]. How did this movie version of Greendale initially come about?

Eliot Roberts: It started when Neil began writing. We had already set up the recording studio to be filmed - from the very beginning we had blue screens set up so we could film the band as they laid down their tracks. Then Neil started bringing in these great songs about these amazing characters, and once things started rolling, the film just started to evolve.

Question: What was your role in the recording of the album?

Larry Johnson: I produced the record. Neil came into the studio with two members of Crazy Horse [Ralph Molina and Billy Talbot] and started recording. It was really interesting - we had a small crew there to film everything and once Neil started playing these songs about characters he created, after we'd get them down, all of us would ask, "What about grandpa? What happened to grandpa?" All these plots and relationships had become developed. Neil would just come in every day with a new chapter to the Greendale story. The town of Greendale became real.

Question: When did it go from being a concert movie to becoming a full-fledged musical of sorts?

ER: Probably about halfway through. The story didn't really finish evolving until all the songs were finished, but as this was all happening, we knew that there was going to be something more to Greendale than just blue screens on the wall.

Question: Greendale, at least for public consumption, started off as a series of live concert performances. Was the film shot before these shows?

Larry Johnson: Yeah. We filmed the movie and then the tour was an extension of that. We all got really into it. The shows got really good and everyone started wanting more out of this little town. Whether it was a live show or a movie or a filmed concert - Greendale was a thing that could really just go on and on. Greendale is such a dysfunctional town. It's typical small-town America: Everyone has a story. Everyone has good and bad sides.

Question: Was it always intended to be an elaborate stage production?

ER: We actually did an acoustic solo tour of Europe first, and as that was happening, the idea for the stage show became a reality. It wasn't until we came back to the States to do another series of acoustic shows that we really started developing the more theatrical elements of Greendale.

Question: Greendale had been through so many permutations by the time it hit the festival circuit. What was it like seeing the finished film?

ER: I've been involved with the project from the recording process to the very end of the whole thing. It's a very long process, but you never get a chance to sit back and just look at it. It's constantly evolving.

Larry Johnson: For me, the movie really came alive in the editing process. It came alive at live shows as well, but it wasn't until we took it on the road - we showed at Toronto and in Texas and a bunch of other places - that it really kicked in. It was an interesting run.

Question: The film has a very down-home feel. Where did you shoot?

Larry Johnson: We shot in and around Half Moon Bay in Northern California - we shot a little in Pescadero, as well. It was really great - there was a great deal of spontaneity in making the film. We shot near our homes, we worked with our friends. It was a really wonderful process.

Question: How long did it take to shoot and edit the film?

Larry Johnson: We shot for about thirteen days. Then we did some pick-ups after the first round of editing. And then the editing process lasted about two months. It wasn't very long.

Question: What's next for Shakey Pictures?

Larry Johnson: We're getting the extended version of Human Highway ready for DVD later this year. Shakey Pictures has been very active for the last few months, and we're just going to keep going until our projects are finished. With Greendale and then this - it's been a great experience.

L.A. Johnson and Elliot Roberts
SXSW Panel, Austin, Texas

From Guitar Player, Shakey Pictures Larry "L.A." Johnson on the Archives:

“We had cameras around all the time, because Neil has always been interested in film,” said Johnson. “And we’ve been assembling all this stuff for decades, but we waited until technology caught up with what Neil envisioned for the Archives. He didn’t want this material released on videotape, and he wasn’t all that happy with DVD. It wasn’t until Blu-ray where we thought the media would do the material full justice, visually and sonically.

When asked about The Neil Archives Bluray Disc Live downloads, Larry Johnson commented:

“This keeps it fresh for Neil, but it drives me crazy,” said Johnson, who is managing delivering updates to fans. “He keeps giving and giving.”"

Our hearts go out to all at Shakey Pictures and the Neil Young family.

We'll miss you L.A. Thanks for the memories. Your work will live on.

"Sing a song for freedom
sing a song for love
sing a song for depressed angels
falling from above"

And light a candle.

UPDATE: Neil Young pays tribute to L.A. on final Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien with "Long May You Run".


UPDATE II: Also, see official Neil Young Times website obituary and tribute.


UPDATE III: Neil Young News: The Warm & Loving Memories of Bridge 2010 - Video Tribute to L.A. Johnson

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